Joseph McKeen
Center for the Common Good

While Maine’s high school graduation rate is among the highest in the nation, the percentage of students who pursue post secondary education is significantly lower.  The Aspirations in Maine program works to combat the growing gap between Maine high school students' college intentions and their actual enrollment.  Through student initiative, the McKeen Center and Bowdoin College have become great resources in getting high school students in Maine to consider college as a post secondary option.

Programs 

• Aspirations in Maine Days:  Students from all over Maine come to Bowdoin to experience life on a college campus.  Each student is matched with a Bowdoin mentor for the day to follow their schedule, sit in on a class, and eat lunch in the dining hall.  Students hear briefly from staff on the Admissions and Financial Aid departments, and have the chance to discuss questions with a panel of students who grew up in Maine.

• College Student Advisors: Bowdoin students work with high school seniors in discussing different options for postsecondary education as well as doing individual mentoring throughout the actual application process.

• Economics of Postsecondary Education: Bowdoin students conduct classes at local high schools about the economic costs and benefits of pursuing a postsecondary education.

Student Leadership

Aspirations in Maine programs began as a student initiative in partnership with the Mitchell Institute.  Today the programs continue to be successful under students' leadership.  Our programs in local schools are a part of the student led service organizations, while the Aspirations in Maine days are organized with the help of a McKeen Fellow. 

Anyone interested in learning more about the center's Aspirations in Maine Programs or who would like to get involved, please contact Jessica Horstkotte, youth and education coordinator, at jhorstko@bowdoin.edu or 798-4236.

"At first the idea of college truly intimidated me, and everything seemed extremely overwhelming, but having this experience has shown me that college is something I can do."